James Meager | |
---|---|
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Rangitata | |
Assumed office 14 October 2023 | |
Preceded by | Jo Luxton |
Personal details | |
Born | James Rawiri Meager 1986or1987(age 36–37) Timaru,New Zealand |
Political party | National |
Alma mater | University of Otago |
James Rawiri Meager [1] (born 1986or1987) is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the National Party in the electorate of Rangitata.
Born in Timaru in 1986or1987,Meager is of Ngāi Tahu descent. [2] He grew up in Timaru,where he lived in state housing. [3] Meager attended Timaru Boys' High School,where he was head boy and dux. [4] He gained Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Otago,although he had originally intended to become a doctor. [5] [6] He describes himself as "loud-mouthed,obnoxious and opinionated" while at university,and ascribes his bad behaviour partly to alcohol use. [6] While at university,Meager helped on National Party list MP Michael Woodhouse's 2011 campaign,and went on to run the 2014 campaign. [6] Prior to being elected to Parliament,Meager worked as a senior solicitor for Simpson Grierson, [7] [8] and ran a consultancy firm. He has also worked as a press secretary to Paula Bennett,as a staffer for Chris Bishop's parliamentary office,and an advisor to Bill English and Simon Bridges. [9]
Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 –present | 54th | Rangitata | 69 | National |
Meager was selected as National's candidate for the formerly safe seat of Rangitata on 18 September 2022. It was a close contest with one other competitor vying for the nomination. [2]
On election night,Meager received 22,792 votes,beating incumbent Labour Party MP Jo Luxton by 10,846 votes. [10] [11] Meager said his first priority as a member of parliament would be to ensure the building of a second bridge for Ashburton happened according to the planned timeframes. [4] The bridge was announced by the Labour government in August 2023,with construction due to start in 2024 and take two years. Meager was concerned that timeframes might change,but promised to begin construction in the first parliamentary term. [4]
Meager was the first new MP to give his maiden speech in the 54th Parliament. His contribution,which discussed his upbringing as a "part Māori boy raised in a state house by a single parent on the benefit" and the "walking contradiction" of that boy becoming a National Party MP was praised by commentators,who described Meager as "assured and confident" and a possible future prime minister. [12] [13] [14]
Aoraki / Mount Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand. Its height,as of 2014,is listed as 3,724 metres. It sits in the Southern Alps,the mountain range that runs the length of the South Island. A popular tourist destination,it is also a favourite challenge for mountain climbers. Aoraki / Mount Cook consists of three summits:from south to north,the Low Peak,the Middle Peak and the High Peak. The summits lie slightly south and east of the main divide of the Southern Alps,with the Tasman Glacier to the east and the Hooker Glacier to the southwest. Mount Cook is ranked 10th by topographic isolation.
Canterbury is a region of New Zealand,located in the central-eastern South Island. The region covers an area of 44,503.88 square kilometres (17,183.04 sq mi),making it the largest region in the country by area. It is home to a population of 666,300.
Ashburton is a large town in the Canterbury Region,on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. The town is the seat of the Ashburton District. It is 85 kilometres (53 mi) south west of Christchurch and is sometimes regarded as a satellite town of Christchurch.
Timaru is a port city in the southern Canterbury Region of New Zealand,located 157 km (98 mi) southwest of Christchurch and about 196 km (122 mi) northeast of Dunedin on the eastern Pacific coast of the South Island. The Timaru urban area is home to 28,900 people,and is the largest urban area in South Canterbury,and the third-largest in the Canterbury Region overall,after Christchurch and Rolleston. The town is the seat of the Timaru District,which includes the surrounding rural area and the towns of Geraldine,Pleasant Point and Temuka,which combined have a total population of 48,900.
Geraldine is a town in the Canterbury region in the South Island of New Zealand. It is about 140 km south of Christchurch,and inland from Timaru,which is 38 km to the south. Geraldine is located on State Highway 79 between the Orari and Hae Hae Te Moana Rivers and 45 kilometres to the east of Fairlie.
Wānaka is a popular ski and summer resort town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. At the southern end of Lake Wānaka,it is at the start of the Clutha River and is the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park.
Joanne Gay Goodhew is a New Zealand politician. She served as a member of Parliament between 2005 and 2017.
Rakaia was a New Zealand parliamentary electorate in the Canterbury region from 1972 to 1978 and 1993 to 2008.
Rangitata is an electorate in the South Island of New Zealand. It first existed for two parliamentary terms in the late 19th century and was re-established for the 2008 general election. It largely replaced the Aoraki electorate,but included parts of the Rakaia electorate as well.
Michael Allan Woodhouse is a former New Zealand politician. He was a Member of Parliament for the National Party from 2008 to 2023.
William Stephen Maslin was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand.
Rino Tirikatene is a New Zealand Labour Party politician and a member of the House of Representatives. He comes from a family with a strong political history.
Tutehounuku "Nuk" Korako is a New Zealand politician and member of Canterbury Regional Council. He was previously a list Member of Parliament,representing the National Party,from 2014 to 2019.
Jade Uru is a New Zealand rower.
Jo-Anne Marie Luxton is a New Zealand politician and a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the Labour Party. From 8 May 2023,she is Minister of Customs in the Sixth Labour Government.
Andrew Hamilton Falloon is a former New Zealand politician,serving as a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the National Party from 2017 until his resignation in July 2020.
Rachel Jane Brooking is a New Zealand Labour Party politician and Member of Parliament who is currently serving as the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries and Minister for Food Safety in the Sixth Labour Government. She first became an MP at the 2020 New Zealand general election. She is a lawyer by profession.
Joseph Mooney is a New Zealand politician. In 2020 he was elected as a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the National Party in the Southland electorate.
Māori wards and constituencies refer to wards and constituencies on urban,district,and regional councils in New Zealand that represent local constituents registered on the Māori parliamentary electoral roll vote. Like Māori electorates within the New Zealand Parliament,the purpose of Māori wards and constituencies is to ensure that Māori are represented in local government decision making.
This page lists candidates contesting electorates in the 2023 New Zealand general election.